I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tools used for the treatment of soil for termites, and relates particularly to a tool for accurately drilling holes in a concrete slab to provide access to the soil beneath the slab for termite treatment.
II. Description of the Prior Art
To control termites, the soil that surrounds the walls of a building is treated with termiticides. In areas of the building with concrete slabs abutting the walls, the concrete slabs require drilling for proper application of the termiticides. The goal of soil treatment is to create a barrier between the wood in the structure and the termite colonies in the soil. Improper application of the termiticides or improper drilling of the holes in the slab are common errors that can lead to untreated gaps in the barrier.
Application of termiticides to the land is regulated in some fashion at both the state and federal levels. At the state level agencies such as the Department of Agriculture may further regulate the pest control industry by regulating the companies that provide the termiticides treatment for the consumer. For example, the Georgia Department of Agriculture promulgates rules that apply to members of the pest control industry such as Rule 620-6-.04(1)(i) which requires "treatment of all grade level slabs contiguous to the structure with an approved termiticide at the rate of four (4) gallons per ten (10) linear feet by drilling and applying along the entire distance where slab joins any part of structure at intervals of no more than twelve (12) inches and no more than twelve (12) inches from the structure wall."
Besides state and federal regulations, there are other factors controlling the application of termiticides to the soil beneath concrete slabs. It is common to find backfill materials comprising sand, loam, or gravel under slab foundations. As a result, the proper drill hole spacing and proper amount of termiticide dilution to be injected into the holes depends on the type of fill below the slab, the amount of settling that has occurred, and the moisture content of the fill.
The slab pattern tool of the present invention simplifies the accurate and efficient drilling of concrete slabs by service technicians, and the slab pattern tool has heretofore not been known.